Another point I want to make is that there needs to be a HUGE effort to change the perception of mental illness. I know that there is some change underway, but there's still a long way to go until they achieve the same level of legitimacy as other types of illnesses with more physical manifestations.

I very much agree, our society looks so negatively on mental illness with the stigma and it is treated with much less respect and understanding than that of other physical illnesses.

Girls can do what the hell they like. The websites won't MAKE them do it, and they'll only do it if they have the desire to do it and seek these sites out in the first place. If they think it's cool, let 'em - it's their health. Let them learn.

Girls can do what the hell they like. The websites won't MAKE them do it, and they'll only do it if they have the desire to do it and seek these sites out in the first place. If they think it's cool, let 'em - it's their health. Let them learn.

I agree they're unhealthy, but it's hard for people who haven't been there to understand. Having that kind of support can be invaluable. I'm sure most of them know deep down that it's not healthy, but it's not nice feeling utterly isolated, from everyone you know and from society, and feeling like you're going insane. Talking to other people who make you feel 'normal', even if it is in a disturbing way, helps. The ironic thing is all the media coverage condemning the sites has made them ten times more popular than they would have been otherwise. I think it's the unhealthy attitude of our society as a whole towards eating and eating disorders which has caused the appearance of these kind of sites, which is really sad. And to the guy above who thinks they could just choose to eat if they wanted to...I'm not going to have a go at you, but you clearly have no understanding of this and a pretty narrow-minded approach to it. It's a horrible thing to be in the grip of an eating disorder and not something people would 'choose'. It's an emotional and psychological problem. I hope you don't go through your whole life being so judgemental.

(Original post by MissHero)
If they couldn't eat because their swallowing reflex went into spasm when they tried, you wouldn't question it.

The brain is an organ just like any other in the body, and is capable of preventing something that is perfectly normal from happening.

Exactly. People seem to have the attitude of picin and choosing whiohc mental illnesses are vouchable, and generally tend to dismiss them in the comparison with physical illnesses. The brain has a huge effect on bodily functions, and our cognitive patterns and maladaptive thoughts can definately lead to people restricting there eating habits.